NegPhil wrote:Spycouple scored the two free tickets I gave away. I'm suprised he was the only person to throw his name into the hat but the dude totally deserves them.
Spycouple shot those cool one takes of the Moore show and Redmond last year so lets hope he's up for it again. It would be a shame not to have this baby on tape. Any other tapers going?
Watching the new MAv vid the other day I started giggling like a school girl every time they mentioned Pemberton. I hope they bust out a new song or three. It seems like the perfect opportunity to road test some new material before they head to Bobs place for the final vocals and mix.
Thanks a ton to NegPhil for the tickets. I was hoping to get some filming done, and the other ticket went to a pro photographer who was ready with his camera, but no camera confirmation came about from the event organizers (for obvious reasons if you've seen any of the reports on the festival).
We got dropped off in Whistler via a buddy who was heading up there for a wedding, and when we heard the horror stories of backed up traffic, I wasn't sure we'd even be able to get a bus to Pemberton in time for the Hip, let alone getting clearance for the camera or even finding the right person/booth to ask for info. With filming prospects unlikely and no car to leave a camera behind if turned away, I decided it was better to leave it with my buddy who had just dropped us off (it was actually his HD camera anyway). Five minutes after getting dropped off and just about to buy a bus ticket to Pemberton, we were picked up by a hospitable couple who needed two more in their carpool so as to get through the pricey parking fiasco. All systems operating smoothly at this point, we felt like Hunter S. Thompson and his attorney setting off for the desert. Follow the Great Magnet, it bends all to its whim!
Three long start-and-stop hours later on a normally half-hour drive, and feeling not-so-much like Hunter S. Thompson, we got to the venue just in time for the Hip. Unfortunately most of their set for me involved receiving txt/phone messages from buddies now trying to find us in the crowd and vice versa (yeah, I guess I was
that guy with the freakin' cell phone at a concert, much to my chagrin while moving to the back of the crowd). The Hip's set list was standard, nothing new or of surprise, expertly delivered, and manically infused by their frontman, but "Fully Completely" was off the hook and caught my attention again. I gave up on trying to coordinate meeting up with anyone at that point.
Naturally, a completely different set of friends who I didn't realize were even at the concert randomly spotted me trying in vain to figure out my keypad while under the influence of music! Once again, I was distracted from the Hip's set, but part of the festival magic is running unexpectedly into old or new acquaintances at the beckon call of the Great Magnet. Regardless, the Hip's set seemed to be very well received and well-attended, as we noticed while making our way over to the second stage for Black Mountain.
Unrelated to the Hip's set is this... Black Mountain is an
incredible live band. Can't say enough about how worthwhile it was to see them. It was a small stage where you could just walk right up and tune in. I was really wishing I had the camera at that point actually, since the sightlines were excellent. The photog who came with me actually worked with two of the guys in the band, so it was pretty sweet to see them playing this festival and putting down such a monstrous sound surrounded by... what else... MOUNTAINS!
About an hour or so later, after the Flaming Lips now trademarked set of ridiculousness (with special guest appearance by King Larvae!), we had to make a split second decision as to whether we should stay and ride out the rest of the night or try to get back to our ride in Whistler. I'm not one to bail on music and nights of adventure, but once it started getting dark, with storm clouds moving in, and as more and more stories of near-riots and traffic SNAFU's from Friday night emerged, we decided to get the f**k out of Dodge.
It was starting to feel like an episode of Deadwood (complete with requisite curse words throughout), or, like being on on electric transit bus at night in the Downtown Eastside and the power grid going down (this has happened... fun times
). Yeah, the term "foreboding" comes to mind, as does "Whoa, this thing could get ugly in a hurry". We decided to bail on Petty and any hope of busting through the scantily dressed lineup for the Bacardi DJ tent. Yes, the infamous Bacardi tent, with its awaiting oasis of Mojitos that we couldn't actually witness firsthand, but still beckoned like the dancing sugarplums of the well-proportioned sirens in the lineup. Mmmmm.... mojitos....
In retrospect, and in getting back to Vancouver early Sunday morning dry and in one piece, I'd have to say that bailing out was one of the best decisions I've made under the influence of a music festival (dancing sugarplums notwithstanding). Really happy to have seen 3 bands I was hoping to catch, but glad we didn't push our luck - or the Great Magnet - any further. Hopefully, everyone makes it out of there tonight okay.
Nothing more to report. No known recordings. Over and out.
A Shrugging Spy